The Han Dynasty

Global History: Spiconardi

The Government The Han emperor relied on a bureaucracy to help

him rule Bureaucracy highly organized and centralized

government A system of agencies and departments are developed to

assist government carry out its work

Han Bureaucracy

The Government Civil Service Exams

In order to acquire a position as a government official, one had to pass an exam

The exam was based on Confucianism

No favoritism; had to prove qualifications

Test lasted several days

Achievements

Paper Prior to the invention of paper, the Chinese

wrote on silk, which was expensive Paper was a cheaper alternative to silk

Achievements

Wheel Barrow The burden of weight was distributed equally

between the wheel and the puller This allowed for heavier loads to be transported

Achievements

Compass Originally not used for

navigation Used for geomancy

Geomancy interpreting geography for divine messages or to gain insight

Chinese used the compass to align their houses & cities with the Earth’s forces

Unlike many compasses, the first

Chinese compass pointed South, not

North

Achievements

Seismograph Informed people when

an earthquake was occurring and from which direction

Achievements Acupuncture

Inserting needles into certain points in the human body can alleviate pain

Believed to restore health & well being

Trade

The Silk Road a series of trade routes stretching fro Xian (Chang’an) to Rome Chinese exported silk to rest of the world

Promotes cultural diffusion